Inside, Outside, Upside down!

It's been a while since I posted "just because" pics,...

The boys love daddy's new toy, but not as much as daddy does! He is spoiled rotten...

Yet another toy...

 

....but this one came with a box!

(The red thing blasts sand, removing rust from metal (car parts at this house) making them just like new again!)

I have been looking into some "real" curriculum for the next school year. Being sick so often has made it harder for me to teach as "free spirited" as we have in the past. 

 But last week we spent an afternoon that reminded me why I love my "learn as we go" ways.

The steps from the back porch lead to a world of wonder!

Remember the box? 

School room?

Secret hide-out?

 Children of the world "memory"

Table top?

 Blokus!

It seems that, if you are willing to look, school is all around.
I am so glad we got to have a fun reminder of that.
We will still have to order a math book, and spelling, and... well, we'll just see.
But I am still me, and our school remains the same.
Thank you Lord, for the small things.
Hold on to them my friends!

Blessings,

A battered tent

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling... for while we are in this tent we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." 2 Cor. 5:1-5

 Isn't that a beautiful promise?

 There is another verse that goes hand and hand with it -one that is slightly harder to celebrate with joy. Above is a promise. Even though it gets hard, we have heaven to look forward to, our heavenly dwelling.

 But Proverbs 16:9 says "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

 That means we have to give up our own self-centered plans.

 We even have to give up our plans if they are not self-centered.

 Even if our plans are "godly", at least as far as we can see.

 I have a friend that I have known since college who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She quit blogging for awhile, not because she was in too much pain, or too overwhelmed, or didn't have time... although any of those reasons are allowed. She quit, I think in part, because she was afraid that sometime she would have fear. Sometimes she wouldn't be able to be the perfect example of trust. And people would think that she wasn't a good enough Christian.

 I am not really that close to her, and I am certainly not inside her head, but that was what I understood when she finally started writing again. And I had to comment.

 After 20 years as a diabetic, and 3 years, with the first 18 months undiagnosed, of localized partial seizures - well, plenty of people have come over to pray over me. Some I have invited. Some have pushed their way into my personal space quite forcefully. Always, always, I have put my trust in my Savior. It was easier in the early years to expect something, to expect healing.

 Now I simply wait for a moment of peace. A reminder that He is the creator of not only this earthly "tent", but has a heavenly tent waiting for me.

 But I must say that there are moments when I feel accused of not having enough faith. When I remain "sick", even though someone has prayed over me - well, it must be because I don't believe enough. I guess that gives you an idea of the kind of charismatic churches I have spent parts of my life in.

 But still, my life, my physical life, remains in HIS hands. I believe Prov. 16:9

 However, I had a really, really terrible week, medically, this past week. On Tuesday my diabetes was atrocious, and to top it off, I ran out of insulin. Totally bad planning on my part, but when your blood sugar is already 400 your emotional stability is too far gone to figure out how to solve the problem. In the middle of me sitting in the kitchen literally sobbing, Zion asked what was wrong. I was trying to tell him that Mommy was just a little sicker then usual.

 And Canaan says, "Mommy, have you tried praying about it?"

 And my heart broke. Because I wanted to scream "OF COURSE I HAVE. 8000 times. And the answer is always no."

 But I didn't scream. I even stopped crying quite as hard. And I asked him if he could please pray. I don't ever want to crush his faith, in one of my stupid moments of body failure. Because that is what it was. Body failure. When my blood sugar was 400 my ability to have faith was easily defeated by the evil one. But a simple reminder by my son, and his absolute faith, was all it took to remind me who was in charge.

 The rest of the week was still tough, physically.

 But I was able to remember that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

 And I have so much more in my life then this failing "tent"! School with my children was fantastic. We then squeezed in wonderful play time with kids down the hill, and friends from church. (It is spring break for the public school kids here) Even with my crazy medical appts I still made some delicious dinners, if I do say so myself, and right this minute there is bread in the machine that is making my tummy growl.

 Each of us have a clean slate every morning, ready to start with praise. To ask for strength, whatever comes. Forgiven, and with our Savior at our side every step of the way.

 Third Day's "Mountain of God" has been my theme song the last few days. I will leave it playing on here for the next week or so. Please, stop and listen and be lifted up.

 I'll close with one of my favorite verses. "Do not grieve, for the JOY of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10b

 Blessings,  

Wedding!!!

I have been "gone" for a very long while now. Part of it will be talked about later. But, a very large, and important, part of it was this...

My baby sister got married. 

 There was lots of prep work. Obviously. And our family doesn't believe in letting other people be in charge of our events. We LOVE our friends and family who help. Couldn't survive without them. But complete and total control and dominion - well, that stays in "our" hands. (and by our I mostly mean Emilee) I simply do what I am told!

 First things first - I must admit that I have not been so sure about this Josh guy. He did the entire dating process while we were in MO. They have had their engagement while we have lived here in NC. And I had missed the entire thing. Before we went home for the wedding I had spent less the two weeks with him, combined.
 So I must admit, much to my shame, that I was grumpy during the week of the wedding. There were other, outside forces contributing - once again, we'll talk about those later - but the fact that I was giving away my baby sister to a practical stranger was a little hard for me.

 But at the rehearsal dinner he sang her a song.

That he had written.

It made her cry. 

See the way he looks at her!

 And it was suddenly much easier for me to be ready for the next day.

 The professional pics will be around eventually, and I am sure they will be all over my house, but for now, I am getting quite a kick out of the ones from my camera "back stage" and from Kevin's all along the way.

 Boots were a huge part of the theme. 

 This is my favorite picture of my boys with their Aunt Mary.

The two big sisters had been running around like crazy...

 We needed a little help getting ready in a hurry! 

The "boys" were banished to the back porch while they waited.

We were taking a sister's pic - of course. Then, a bee attacked. I love pictures like this. Action shots. I am sure the actual posed picture will be lovely. But the silly, laughing, funny face picture is the one that always makes me the happiest. 

 6 little ones, 8 (of the 9) bridesmaids and a beautiful bride, all on our way to the wedding. 

Bridesmaid number nine, Emilee, was already at the location. 

She wasn't about to let anyone else run the last minute details!

 I don't have a picture of my boys coming down the aisle, but here they are at the rehearsal. Zion carried the Bible. It took him a while (and some tears during rehearsal) to be ready for the responsibility, but he followed through. Canaan carried the sign, and enjoyed it immensely. Andy says we might have a used car salesman on our hands. He certainly got a kick out of advertising! (and looked adorable too!)

The "old people" in the wedding were responsible for the babies. They were adorable... but not very interested in being involved. I think I heard about 1/3 of the ceremony! Still, I got the important stuff. They promised to love each other always. ("in sickness and in health" made me tear up, considering how fabulous Andy has been, always). We all took communion together, as the body of Christ. 

My precious Daddy covered his eyes and let them kiss, and then they danced down the aisle as husband and wife. 

Then the party started. 

Andy was the DJ.

My children THINK they can dance. 

I got to visit with people I haven't seen since the last family wedding. 

I'd say a good time was had by all. 

But that's enough for now!

Blessings,